Essay name: Devala-smriti (critical study)
Author:
Mukund Lalji Wadekar
Affiliation: Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda / Department of Sanskrit Pali and Prakrit
This essay represents an English study of the Devala-smriti鈥攁n ancient text attributed to sage Devala classified as belonging to the Dharma-Shastra branch of Indian literature which encompasses jurisprudence and religious law. This study deals with the reconstructed text of the Devala-smriti based on surviving references, emphasizing Devala鈥檚 unique viewpoints on social, religious, and philosophical aspects, particularly the Sankhya and Yoga philosophies.
Chapter 9 - The distinctive features of the Devalasmriti
28 (of 165)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
696
Gurupurnima etc. are also based upon this method of months, ending
on paurnima.
(2) Amanta Method - According to this method, the months start from
the pratipat (the first lunar day) of the bright fortnight & end
on the last, amavasya day of the dark fortnight. This method is
prevalent in the southern India.
Hence according to the second method, the month of asadha will
start from the pratipat of the bright fortnight & will end on
the amavasya day of the dark fortnight. While in accordance with,
the first method, the month of asadha will begin not from the
pratipat of the bright fortnight, but from the pratipat, after the
fullmoon day of the previous month viz. the jyestha month & the
as adha will end on the full moon day i.e. on the gurupurnima day
& from the next day i.e. on the pratipad of the dark fortnight
鈫�
of the month, the month of sravana will begin.
From this standpoint of reckoning months, ending on
paurnima, the prescription of Devala, that the ascetic should
stay at one place, during rainy season, starting from the month
of sr膩va峁嘺, is quite in conformity with the usual customs because
>
the ascetics perform the worship of Vyasa etc. on the day of
gurupurnima & there-after stay at one place, preaching dharma
to the masses, during those days of rainy season, when the external
activities and travelling remain suspended due to rain.
III,Ch.
As mentioned previously (Pt. III, Ch. II), this reference
t
is important for determining the home of Devala. The method
